Public Speaking Tip: Mastering the Language

"My English is not good."

Coming from an Asian country where English is not the mother tongue, this is something that we hear all the time.  This has made a majority of the population, especially the younger generation shy away from doing any type of public speaking.

The reality is, mastering English is not as difficult as most people think.  English, like any language, is something you get good at with practice and frequent usage.  It's not like history or geography where you memorize facts.  It's something that needs to be practiced in your daily life.

Here are some our favorite tips that you can easily incorporate into your life to master English.

1) Read Anything in English

This old fashioned method practiced by our parents' generation is still the most effective way to learn English.  If you don't think you're good in the language yet, start with something simple like story books and have a dictionary on hand.  That is your best friend to improving.  We even know people who read the dictionary itself.

2) Speak Often

It may be difficult to speak English if your circle of friends speak another language.  Go find a group that you can speak English with and meet them often.  Even a few hours a week will give you ample opportunities to practice.  There are also services that pair you up with random people around the world with whom you can practice one on one with.

Tip: Come to our meetings *wink*

3) Watch TV and Movies

The television and movies are the most effective way of seeing English in practice.  While reading gives you the vocabulary power, you may come across some words that you don't really know how to pronounce.  Actually hearing how the words are being used will give you an added edge in your learning.

4) Play Word Games

In this age of smartphones, there are plenty of games that you can download that will allow you to not only learn English, but do it in a fun and relaxing way.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the learning process and remember - even native English speakers don't speak perfect English.  Just think of tomato and potato.  Some people say to-MAY-to, some say to-MAH-to, some say po-TAY-to, some say po-TAH-to.  All are correct.

Note that we did not mention anything about grammar.  While good grammar is the foundation of speaking English well, it is easier to just get used to the many nuance of the language through the above methods than memorizing the many rules that come with grammar.  Know your basics, but actively using the language, regardless of your level of proficiency is the key to mastery.

If you would like the opportunity to hone your public speaking skills as well as learn leadership skills, join us for our bi-monthly meetings on every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.  Our meetings start at 8pm.  For further information please contact us at gurneyhydrotoastmastersclub@gmail.com or refer to our Next Meeting page for information on our next meeting.